Sunday, May 29, 2011

A Father and Daughter Deploy to Afganistan

Today I stood in church next to a father and daughter, both members of the United States Army. The pastor asked them to stand and be recognized: They are both to soon deploy to Afghanistan.

Wow. Why do people volunteer for military service?

He introduced another man, an ex-Marine, whose combat ribbons and medals would cover the entire breastplate of uniform. Among other things, the Marine flow #2 on the Blue Angels. The glory from flying those Blue Angel airshows pales in comparison with the Marine’s war record.

Incredible. For what reason did this man risk his life time and again?

I served four years in the Air Force during Vietnam, but am humbled by the service of these others.

What drove me to enlist in the Air Force, knowing that Vietnam awaited, if the military so chose to send me? An honest answer includes my preference not to be drafted into the Army. Yet, I had a heart full of patriotism and love for America, and wanted to do my part (I know, these are old-fashioned ideas to modernists, and maybe even sound silly).

A few weeks ago, I asked a close friend of mine to list three non-negotiable issues for me. I asked, “If you served in the Minnesota legislature, tell me three issues where you would draw the line.”

He responded with life – he is prolife. And the other two resembled freedom and pursuit of happiness. Good answers.

What about you? The answers you give are the reasons we go to war, did you know that? These are the issues that make America different, and special. Life. Liberty. The Pursuit of Happiness.

Our founding fathers wrote that governments are created to protect inalienable rights, and when governments attack those rights or refuse to defend them, it is our right, and in fact, our duty to throw off “such government” and establish new forms that seem better suited to us to defend our inalienable rights. Heavy stuff, right? This is why America’s founding citizens went to war with England. And it is the same reason we fight for America today.

Now comes the tough question. Do you believe it? Do you believe that life, liberty, and the right to own property (pursuit of happiness) are willing to defend and protect, even to the point of sacrificing your life, fortune, and sacred honor? If you answer “yes,” then take some time to evaluate how you are doing so today, and how you might be doing the opposite.

I can think of one major problem that threatens our liberty: our increasing dependence on government, and more specifically, for our health care. I’ve spent the last six years studying this, and am convinced that too many of us are willing to defer to Big Government on this critical issue.

When the federal government controls all of health care, your life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness will be in total jeopardy.

I cannot imagine anyone willing to fight and die for single payer health care, can you? Such a thought would shake the hearts of America’s founders, and of the millions who have fought and died for our liberty.